Just a One Night Stand
by Lady Jekyll
Summary: A New Year's Eve party leads to the matriarch of the Collins family spending the night with the hired hand. They force the incident out of their minds, but loneliness has a way of uniting broken souls. Pre-movie. Elizabeth/Willie.
1. Strange Bedfellows

Just a One Night Stand

**Part I: Strange Bedfellows**

* * *

_January 1, 1957_

Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard winced at the bright sunlight peering in through the windows, screwing her eyes shut and grumbling.

_Whoever got the idea to throw a New Year's party should rot in hell…_

It had, of course, been her idiot husband's idea. Paul often did such things, just so he could disappear from Collinwood Manor while the remaining family members became too involved in the thrall of booze and music. Elizabeth cursed under her breath, head pounding as she rose from bed and made to stretch. She quickly grasped at the sheets, wrapping them around herself when she realized she was naked. And there was someone in bed next to her. Not having any memory of the previous night, Elizabeth reached forward and pulled back the comforter.

It was Willie Loomis.

"W-Willie?"

Loomis stirred, grumbling to himself. It took him a rather long moment for him to realize where he was and who he was with. Once he put two and two together, he promptly wrapped a spare blanket around his waist and stumbled out of bed.

"Uh... Mornin' Ms. Elizabeth…"

"I think this is an occasion we will never speak of again." Elizabeth replied.

"Most likely. Uh…l-lemme find my clothes and I'll get breakfast started…"

Willie dressed as quickly as he could while nursing a hangover and staggered out of the room without giving Elizabeth so much as a second glance. Elizabeth wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed and sleep off her hangover. As (rather pleasant) memories of the night before broke through her hangover-induced haze, she forced herself out of bed, grabbing a fresh set of clothes and dragged herself to the bathroom.

_Honestly, Elizabeth,_ she thought as she turned on the facet for a shower. _He's hired help for God's sake. You could have done so much better than that._

She stepped into the shower, letting her head under the jet and slicking her hair back before leaning against the wall. Once again, flashes of the night before ran through her mind as her mind cleared. Finally feeling sober enough to make an appearance for the rest of the family, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, winding her hair up in a spare towel. Elizabeth sighed in a combination of both disgust and surprise at seeing a love bite on her right breast. For being rather dim, Willie apparently knew what he was doing. After drying her hair and seeing she looked presentable, she finally walked out of her room and was greeted by her brother and sister-in-law.

"Happy New Year, Elizabeth," said Roger Collins solemnly. He too apparently had an alcohol-fueled New Year's Eve, but Elizabeth was sure she had much more fun.

"You too, Roger."

"Willie certainly seemed…off this morning. More so than usual, anyway," Laura Collins said pleasantly. Out of the three people in the room, she seemed the most chipper. "Had breakfast set out then drove off somewhere."

"Willie Loomis is a buffoon, Laura," replied Roger, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed."

Elizabeth had a sudden urge to snap at her brother, but held her tongue. What happened between her and Willie was nothing but a drunken fling. She would think him nothing more than a loyal friend and hired hand, no matter what happened now.


	2. Everything Changes

Just a One Night Stand

**Part II: Everything Changes**

* * *

_January 28, 1957_

"Liz, are you all right?" Laura asked, watching her sister-in-law carefully. "You look very pale."

Elizabeth sighed, feeling a faint pain between her eyes. She put a hand over her eyes and waved the other woman off.

"I'm fine. Just…feeling a little under the weather."

It was a lie, but Laura seemed to take it without anymore desire to needle her with more questions. Elizabeth sipped a glass of water, speaking again once her headache subsided.

"Have you seen Willie around?"

"He was out sweeping the driveway, last I saw" Roger replied. Elizabeth nodded in thanks, pulling her thick, button down sweater over her shoulders and walked down the foyer stairs as Willie was just coming back inside.

"Just the person I needed to see," she said. Willie smiled at her and quickly let it fall, as though he didn't want anyone else to see it.

"D'ya need something, Liz—er, Ms. Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth held back a smile, mentally telling herself not to care anymore for him than she had before. Even now, with all that's happened. She grabbed him by the shoulder and steered him into her boudoir. Once inside, Willie turned to face her with a look akin to a confused puppy as Elizabeth shut and locked the door behind them.

"We need to talk, Willie."

"Somethin' wrong? If this is about the car, I plan on workin' on it after lunch…"

"No, it's not about the car," Elizabeth replied. If she didn't say this now, she might never have the courage to confront him on this again. "This is about…_that _night." She watched the gears in his head turn and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"The…night you said we were not gonna talk about again?"

"Yes. _That _night…It seems…I'm pregnant."

Willie looked as though she'd slapped him. He stared dumbfounded for a moment, running a hand through his mousey hair.

"Oh boy…"

"You have nothing to worry about," Elizabeth went on, causing Willie to look at her with hopeless confusion. "I plan on raising the child and you will be free from any duties dealing with fatherhood. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of it alone."

At that moment, she saw the light in Loomis' ice blue eyes flicker out. He stared at the floor for a long moment and sighed before he spoke.

"Wha-what if-" his voice sounded strangled as though he couldn't speak. He cleared his throat and straightened up to his full height. "Okay… If that's how ya wanna go about this, okay."

That said, he walked past her, unlocked the door and walked out. He couldn't bear to look her in the eyes now. While he couldn't before, but he knew he'd never be able to do it. Willie fought to keep his composure, walking through the kitchen. He yanked open the door to the liquor cabinet and grabbed a bottle of whiskey, hiding it under his arm while pulling his jacket tighter around himself. Loomis then snuck out the back door and walked to the car he needed to fix, but now no longer felt like it. He got in the car and sat in the driver's seat, slamming his head into the steering wheel a few times in a combination of frustration, utter hopelessness and rage.

_I'm gonna be a father, but Liz wants to care for it without me. I can't tell her what I really think. I may be an idiot, but I'd honestly do my damnedest for the both of 'em…_

He opened the whiskey bottle and chugged until he choked.

_I really am in idiot…stuck crushing on her when she doesn't even want me to be a father to our kid._ _And goddammit, I_ wanna _be…_

Willie took a smaller swig, pounding his fist repeatedly against the steering wheel and dashboard. After a moment of trying to hold himself together he finally buried his face in his hands and broke down sobbing.


	3. Explanations

Just a One Night Stand

**Part III: Explanations**

* * *

_February 14, 1957_

It had been nearly a month since Elizabeth had told Willie she was pregnant and that she planned on raising the child without his help. She knew she had hurt him, she watched him drown himself in whiskey nearly every night. But she hurt too. Any possible hint of romantic feeling she had for the groundskeeper she flung away and willed herself to ignore it. The family was cursed enough and for a wild moment, Elizabeth almost considered her unborn child to be part of it. She quickly shook such a thought from her mind. Of course that wasn't true. Elizabeth sighed and looked out her bedroom window, watching Willie chop firewood outside. Sudden images of the night that brought on this whole mess resurfaced causing her to let out a strangled half-sigh, half-whimper. Pregnancy was beginning to take a toll on her hormones and she hated it. In most cases, she kept her mind occupied otherwise, but today it seemed almost impossible to deal with and, she knew, would only get worse as the months dragged on.

Elizabeth walked out of her room and down to the kitchens, deciding to surprise Willie with a cup of coffee. Neither of them had spoken to each other since the revelation and she decided to attempt mending the metaphorical bridge between them. She took the cup of coffee and walked outside, following the sound of splintering wood.

"Willie?"

Loomis turned to face her, panting for breath and wiping sweat from his forehead with his arm. Elizabeth bit her lower lip as he embedded the axe he was using in the tree trunk he used as a prop for the firewood, his breath fogging in the cold February air.

"Yeah?" he asked in a cold, bitter tone. She held out the coffee cup to him and he took it with a raised eyebrow. "…Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Willie drank down the coffee as though it was water (or in his case, whiskey) and handed her the empty mug.

"So…d'you need somethin' or can I get back to work?"

_This is insane_, Elizabeth thought. _I am a married woman, absentee husband or not and, here I am wanting to throw myself to the groundskeeper!_

Her courage failing her, she silently shook her head and made to turn back as Willie reached for his axe again, only to call out.

"Liz!"

Elizabeth turned around to face him again. Willie wore the same look of hurt and confusion he had when she told him she was pregnant.

"I need to ask ya somethin' and I need an honest answer," he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. "What am I to you?"

Elizabeth blinked in surprise, pulling her jacket around herself in a rather flustered manner.

"I…Willie, it was just one night…"

"Yeah," Loomis replied, "Just a one-time deal, I get that. Hell, you said you don't want me to be there for the kid. I agreed because I thought that was what you wanted to hear. That doesn't stop the fact that I can't get you outta my mind!" He pulled a flask out of his back pocket and took a swig, unaware of seeing Elizabeth cringe when he did so. "I've liked ya for a long time and this whole…mess isn't helpin' me get over it. I may be an idiot, but I'm not stupid. It's too late now, but I would've done anything for you and the kid, if you'd have let me…" his voice trailed off and he took another, longer swig from his flask.

Elizabeth stared at him in silent surprise for a long moment, not sure what to say or even think.

"Willie…you actually wanted to be a father to the baby?"

"Well it _is _mine. And I'm around more than Paul is anyway…" he pulled the axe out of the stump and sighed. "How are you gonna explain that?"

Elizabeth smiled weakly.

"Paul and I were together the week before…_that _night. If he does come home again, he won't be any the wiser. As for Roger and Laura, it's none of their concern."

Willie shrugged, pocketing his flask and running a hand through his hair.

"You never did answer my question. What am I to you?"

Elizabeth sighed and kissed his cheek before walking back inside, leaving Willie alone and more confused than ever.

* * *

**A/N: To answer the reviewer of this story, I see Elizabeth's husband, Paul Stoddard, to be quite an absentee husband, especially after his wife's family fell into a less than noble social standing. When he is around, it's not for long.**

**Edit: Thank you, "TorontoBatFan" for correcting me on Elizabeth's husband's name. **


	4. To Hell with Self Restraint

Just a One Night Stand

**Part IV: To Hell with Self-Restraint**

* * *

_March 17, 1957_

Willie stared into his half-empty whiskey bottle and sighed. He forced himself to keep his distance from Elizabeth and the rest of the family. He knew that Roger could care less, but Laura often asked him if everything was all right. Loomis simply lied through his teeth that he was fine and then proceeded to bury himself in whatever menial labor he could find. Now, as he lay back in his bed with nothing but Jim Beam and his own thoughts for company, he felt restless. He could let his mind wander, but if he did, he knew his thoughts would simply turn to Elizabeth. It was never a good idea when that happened, as it always led to thinking about the night that had shattered what peace of mind he had. Elizabeth knew how he felt and, of course, with her being married there was nothing they could do either way. Willie sat up and chugged down the remainder of his whiskey and set the empty bottle on the floor. He looked up at the sound of something knocking on the door, but didn't think much of it. Collinwood Manor was an old house; weird things always seemed to happen, especially at night. It wasn't until he heard Elizabeth's voice from behind the door that Willie got to his feet.

"Willie? If you're still awake, can I come in?"

Loomis opened the door and stood back as Elizabeth walked in, clad in a gray-hued silk night gown. He quickly looked at the floor as heat and color raised his face.

"Uh…d-do I wanna know why you're in my room?"

Elizabeth smiled nervously, grabbing one of his discarded plaid shirts and draping it around her bare shoulders.

"I'm just…lonely, I suppose…" she sighed, idly picking at a stray thread on the shirt around her shoulders. "I know I shouldn't be thinking about you like I have been. I blame my hormones."

Willie shrugged his shoulders and cleared his throat.

"Well…uh, I suppose I _am _the only person you can turn to…"

"Seeing as my condition is your fault," Elizabeth replied with a teasing smirk. "Yes, I think you owe me."

"Wait, what?" Loomis raised an eyebrow and blushed, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Elizabeth stood up, letting the shirt around her shoulders fall away.

"I know I shouldn't do this, but I feel like I'm going crazy," she said, wrapping her arms around her torso. "I'm a married woman for God's sake…"

"And I thought you said you and I were a one-time only thing," Willie said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Elizabeth rose to her feet and shrugged off her night gown, letting it pool around her feet. Willie let out a half-restrained whimper and stared at the floor, his eyes darting back to her once or twice.

"I know what I said, Willie. But right now, I'm willing to make an exception."

Loomis let out a small squeak as Elizabeth walked up to him and kissed him on the lips.

"Are we gonna regret this?" he whispered, finally finding the courage to kiss her in return.

"Only if anyone finds out."

* * *

The next morning, Elizabeth awoke to find herself alone. She quickly retreated to her own room to shower and dress before going downstairs for breakfast. Roger seemed to be in an unusually good mood.

"Ah, Elizabeth, there you are. I was wondering where you were," he said. "Guess who dropped in this morning?"

A man with light brown hair and glasses sauntered into the foyer and smiled, moving toward Elizabeth and pulled her into an embrace.

"Darling," said Paul Stoddard with a smile, "I'm finally home."

Elizabeth blinked in shock, but forced herself to smile.

"I was wondering if I'd ever see you again," she replied, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. She caught a glimpse of Willie glaring at Paul's back with a sad, jealous look as he mopped the floor.

"Oh, it won't be for long, of course, business deals to attend to and all that," Paul said, wrapping an arm around her waist. "And I hate the fact I left you alone at a time like this! Roger and Laura told me the good news! I can't believe I'm going to be a father."

There was a sudden crash and the mop bucket overturned, sending filthy water cascading over Paul and Elizabeth's feet.

"Sorry, Mr. Stoddard," said Willie, picking up the bucket and straightening up. "I slipped."

"Incompetent as always, eh, Willie?" Paul said, shaking water out of his shoes. "The house looks in worse shape now than when I left it."

Willie merely grunted, grumbling something unintelligible under his breath and skulked off, all the while avoiding Elizabeth's eyes. Right now, there wasn't enough alcohol in the world to drown out the jealousy flooding through him. A feeling, he knew, he had no real right to express at all. Elizabeth may convince Paul the child is his, and as much as that hurt, Willie realized something that cheered him up somewhat.

He was more of a man than Paul Stoddard could ever hope to be.

* * *

**A/N: For some reason, I picture Anthony Stewart Head as Paul Stoddard. **


	5. Incoming Storm

Just a One Night Stand

**Part V: Incoming Storm**

_May 23, 1957_

Elizabeth shot awake at a loud banging sound coming from outside. She fumbled out of bed, trying not to wake her husband. Paul groaned and reached for her, only to stir at the sound as well.

"Hell's that noise…?" he muttered, pulling the blankets over his head. Elizabeth shook her head and pulled on a robe before walking to the bedroom window. It wouldn't budge. The shutters were clamped shut from the outside.

Leaving her grumbling husband in the bedroom, Elizabeth walked outside and stood back in the driveway facing the house. Willie Loomis stood on a ladder, hammering nails into a wooden board pressed against the closed shutters.

"What are you doing?"

Willie turned, swinging forward so he was clinging to the ladder with one hand.

"Storm's coming!" he called, looking down at her. For a moment, Elizabeth wondered if the man had been spiking his whiskey with seawater. There wasn't any sign of foul weather, only a few sparse, harmless-looking clouds in a bright blue sky.

"Are you crazy?" she replied. The groundskeeper merely rolled his eyes as he drove in the last nail before climbing down the ladder to talk.

"I'm a fisherman's son; I can tell when the weather's going to suddenly turn."

Elizabeth looked thoughtful for a moment as Willie pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and handed her a black and white photo. It was a photograph of grizzled, bearded man who looked exactly like Willie, standing on the Collinsport docks.

"My old man," Willie said a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Captain Andrew Loomis. The docks were his life—hell Collinsport was his life. I remember, when I was a kid, I was convinced he was a pirate. He taught me everything he knew. Wake me up at the crack of dawn to fix holes in the fishing nets. Wanted nothing more for me to take over from him…"

"You didn't want to?" Elizabeth asked. Willie sighed and put the picture back in his wallet.

"My dad's loyalty was to your family. He died when your family's business was on its last legs. And I was…I dunno—15 maybe 16 when he died. I was going to go with him that day, first real trip as a sort of "apprentice" fisherman. I dropped out of school for this. Then he suddenly said I couldn't come with him, told me to stay and mend more nets. Still think he knew he wouldn't be comin' home, which is why he made me stay behind. During the night this massive storm came outta nowhere. Dad was used to that kind of weather; he was probably the only one crazy enough to be willing sail into something like that. But…something happened, I remember hearing reports that the boat got hit by lightening or something. Either way, boat was gone and the next day Silas Clarney, one of Dad's best friends, found pieces of the boat and Dad's body tangled up in his own fishing nets. After Dad's funeral, your folks gave my mom a job as a housekeeper and here I am today."

Elizabeth gave him a rather sad look. She vaguely remembered reading about the death of a fleet captain in the newspaper back when she was away at college but was never able to recall the name.

"You could have gone and worked with Angel Bay," she said. Willie shot her a look of horror.

"_Ooooh no_. And risk my old man haunting me? Even though I'm pretty sure he already _does_. He taught me to hang on to my loyalties in the end, no matter what. So I stayed." Willie was surprised as Elizabeth pulled him into an embrace and kissed him.

"Wha-what was that for?" he asked, trying not to blush.

"I'd like to know the same thing," replied Roger Collins, causing the pair to jump.

"Roger!" Elizabeth gasped, the color draining from her face. "It's…none of your concern."

"Maybe not mine, but I'm sure _Paul_ would be quite interested."

Willie shrank back and cleared his throat.

"Think I'll…just finish up these last few windows…"

Roger shoved Willie backwards a few steps. The two glared at each other with mutual dislike.

"So you're the cause of the ruckus this morning, huh?"

"He says a storm's coming," Elizabeth interjected, putting a hand to her brother's shoulder. Roger shrugged her hand away and began walking back toward the house without another word. Elizabeth followed suit as she heard a clap of thunder and saw the dark clouds rolling in from the direction of the sea.

* * *

**A/N: According to the _Dark Shadows_ wiki for the 2012 film, Captain Clarney (Christopher Lee)'s first name is apparently Silas.**


End file.
